Wire-fastener for metallic fence-posts.



H. L. HARTLEY.

WIRE FASTENBR FOR METALLIC FENCE POSTS. APPLICATION FILED MAR.17,1911.

Patented Sept. 24; 1912.

Fig.1

HEBEB L. HARTLEY, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA.

WIRE-FASTENER FOR METALLIC FENCE-POSTS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Hnnnn L. HARTLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Duluth, in the county of St. Louis and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ire-Fasteners for Metallic Fence-Posts; and I do hereby de- J clare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has for its object to provide a simple and highly efficient wire fastener for metallic'fence post-s whereby wire may be conveniently secured to the posts by means of staples driven into the posts.

To the above ends the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

Two forms of the improved fastener shown as applied to metal posts are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation showing several posts and the wires of the wire fence secured thereto by my improved fasteners; Fig. 2 is an enlarged View showing a portion of one of the posts and showing a portion of one of the fence wires secured thereto by one of the improved fasteners; Fig. 3 is an elevation, some parts broken and some parts sectioned, looking at the fence post and fastener in a direction from the right toward the left in respect to Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 50* W of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3 but illustrating a slightly modified form of the fastener.

Referring first to the construction in Figs. 1 to 1 inclusive, the numeral 1 indicates the line wires of the fence and the numeral 2 indicates the metallic fence posts which, as shown, are made of angle iron. The wire fastening devices are applied to the posts at different vertical points where the wires are to be secured thereto and in the construction illustrated in the said views 1 to 1 inclusive, each fastening device comprises a metal clinching lug or block 3 that is formed with two zigzag channels through which the prongs or fastening staples a are adapted to be driven, as best shown in Fig. 3. These zigzag channels are preferably formed with diverging inner extremities which Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 17, 1911.

Patented Sept. 24, 1912.

Serial No. 615,114.

cause the prongs of the staple, when the staple is completely driven, to diverge rapidly from each other so that the ends may be clinched or turned over the inner end of the lug as shown, in Fig. 3, thereby very greatly increasing the holding capacity of the staple. Each lug 3 is preferably formed from aseparate piece of metal, such as a steel, iron, or malleable casting, and is rigidly secured to one flange of the post by a rivet 5. In line with the zigzag channels in the lugs 3, the front flange of the post 2 is provided with a slot 6 which is longer than the width of the staple and which permits the head of the staple to be driven inward far enough to press and kink the fence I wire 1 slightly within the said slot. The kink thus produced in the fence wire within the slot 6 holds the fence wire against end- WlSLG slipping movements and this feature is, as is obvious, very important because it securely anchors the fence wires to all of the posts and prevents accumulating sag in the wires at any particular point.

With this improved staple securing device the zigzag channels in the securing lugs or blocks very securely hold the staples, and it is evident that the holding action is very much like that of a staple driven into a post, in this, that the further the staple is driven, the greater will be the friction under which it will be held in place. The zigzag channels will, however, hold the staples very much more firmly than they can possibly be secured when driven into a wooden post.

The anchoring lug 3 shown in Fig. 5, is very much like that shown in Figs. 1 to 4. inclusive, but the zigzag channels in the lug are given an outward and backward turn so as to correspondingly bend the ends of the staple. It is shown as secured to the angin iron post 2 by the rivet 5 already noted.

A further advantage of the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4; inclusive, over that illustrated in 5, is this: that the prongs of the staple when straightened or bent back, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, may be hit on the end with a hammer, and hence, started backward through the zigzag channel of the anchoring lug. In this way, the staple may be partly driven out of the anchoring lug and may, thereafter, be completely withdrawn by the application of a suitable tool to the head thereof.

An important feature of my invention is the provision in connection with the angle metal post of the anchor block held to the post within the angle thereof and having in one side sinuous grooves which open laterally toward the inner face of one of the wings of the post and open longitudinally toward the inner face of the other wing of the post, the latter wing of the post being provided with a vertical slot as before described so that when the staple is driven through the said slot with its arms in the sinuous or zig zag grooves of the block, the inner face of one of the wings of the post forms one wall of the channels in which the arms of the staple are secured by the bending thereof as before described.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a metal fence 0st provided with a projecting flange having slots through which the prongs and into which the crowns of staples may be driven, of separately formed anchoring lugs held to said post and provided with zigzag channels alined with the said slots and through which the prongs of said staples may be driven to secure fence wires to said post with portions of said wires kinked within said slots.

2. The combination with a metal fence post constructed from commercial angle iron or steel and provided in its outer flan o of the post, the said block having in one a side, facing the inner surface of one of the post wings sinuous or zig zag grooves which open laterally toward said wing and longitudinally toward the other wing, the lat" ter wing having a slot alining with the sinuous grooves of the block, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HEBER L. HARTLEY. Witnesses:

HARRY D. KILGoRE, BERNIoE Gr. WHEELER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

